Eyeshadow
by Silverlinedsnowflakes
Summary: [One-shot] She tried to run away from him, but then she realized he was still holding her wrist. She tried to pull away to hide the tears that endlessly pooled in her eyes, but he pulled her to him. “Ayeka, don’t do this.”


**Title- "Eyeshadow"**

**Rating- **_VERY _PG-13

**Genre- **Drama/Romance

**Disclaimer-** I do NOT own Tenchi Muyo.

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Flurries of white, white snow and the pink petals of the sakura blossoms twirled around her in a waltz then abruptly flew away. Her footsteps were slow, unhurried, almost painstakingly so. Her kimono, which swept over the ground, was subtle, lilac and pale blue, modestly adorned by fine silver trimmings. _Regal and beautiful_, much like herself.

You'd doubt someone with such captivating beauty had had their heart broken.

She had long, dark purple tresses that cascaded all the way down her back, stopping just above the floor, hair like silk. She had skin that glowed with the snow. And her lips, which were a soft pinkish hue, were characterized by her small, nearly invisible smile.

Yet her eyes were completely hidden by her smoky mauve bangs, which had come undone when she threw away her crown. The crown that had decided her fate, arbitrated her destiny. _Yes_, she was a princess, or had been. The thin, loose locks of her hair brushed over her eyes that brimmed with loneliness and regret. Her pretty head hung in shame.

The crown could not protect her from _feeling_.

She looked up at the cloudy sky, wondering why she gave it all up.

It was because… because of-

Only one name escaped her lips. It made her smile and frown at the same time. It made her want to cry and laugh and scream and sob and sing and dance and crumble and _die_.

Tenchi.

Tears slipped from beneath her bangs.

_Tenchi_, the name stung her lungs.

Every tear that dripped called out to him, ached for him.

"_Lady Ayeka_," he said like he had said so many times before, except then it sounded so anxious, nervous. Her eyes, which were a deep fuchsia, looked up from her garden.

"Yes, Lord Tenchi?" she had asked, her voice as gentle as the billowing wind. He looked away when she met his gaze. He looked so nervous, so shy. _Innocent_, she thought. Yes, very innocent, she smiled inwardly.

"I need to talk to you," he made out and gulped nervously, "_privately_."

She smiled, conceding. "Of course, Lord Tenchi."

She began cleaning up all her gardening tools.

Once she finished up, he grabbed her hand, taking her away from her garden filled with red and bluish-purple flowers. "Follow me," he mumbled and pulled her deep into the forested areas. He stopped by at a clearing where slivers of sunlight poured into, shaded by the tall, green trees. "Lady Ayeka," he said once again.

"Yes?"

"I-" He looked at her. Her bright pretty eyes, open and kind. Her gentle smile. He couldn't do this. He shook his head. But no, he _had_ to. "I've made a choice."

"Choice, what-" It all came rushing to her. Suddenly she felt light-headed. The reason he had taken her away. The reason she was here. "Lord Tenchi," was all she said. This couldn't be happening. Not now. It was too soon.

But when she stared into his dark chocolate orbs, she soon realized the reality of it all.

His voice sounded pained, almost choked. "I'm sorry-"

_He's sorry_, it echoed in her head dully.

"for what I put you and Ryoko through."

_Me and Ryoko._

"But I know now-"

Now, he knows.

"who I am in love with."

_Love…_

The word screamed at her, making her ears bleed. Love, was what she and Ryoko had vied for. Love, that was what she wanted, _no_, **needed **from him the most. Love meant more than anything to her, more than the world, more than Jurai, more than her whole existence and this entire universe altogether.

"I had to tell you this before I chickened out." He chuckled nervously.

_He has to._

His eyes darkened. "But it's harder than I thought it would be."

_Waiting… is hard._

"But Ayeka, I don't want to hurt you any longer."

_Ayeka. That's me, isn't it?_

He sighed, running his fingers through his short black hair, looking up at the quickly darkening sky. "I'm in love with-"

That second felt like a million hours.

"Ryoko."

That hurt like a thousand needles.

"I'm sorry, Ayeka."

She stared at him blankly. Her mouth didn't budge one inch. All she saw was suddenly becoming blurry and she didn't know why. Her body started to shake like she was cold… as cold as she felt _inside_.

"I-I see." She barely made out.

He looked at her crumble away, his frown deepening. His own eyes beginning tear.

She tried to run away from him, but then she realized he was still holding her wrist. She tried to pull away to hide the tears that endlessly pooled in her eyes, but he pulled her to him. "Ayeka, don't do this."

She looked up at him and said the only words she knew would comfort her and regain any shreds of energy and dignity she had left. The only words that contradicted how strongly she felt for him. "I hate you," she said in a deathly whisper.

He looked at her with a pained gaze, not knowing what to say.

Her eyes lit up like fiery coals. "I HATE YOU!" She shrieked so loudly, her words resounded throughout the forest. She found the strength to break away from him and began punching him as hard as she possibly could, each blow becoming increasingly weak and feeble. Tenchi did nothing but take it. But she kept hitting him still, even though the sound of her heart breaking was as loud as Niagara Falls. It didn't matter when you were dying, as long as they knew you fought to your death. "I hate you," she repeated, chanted.

_I hate you_. She felt her hand go slack and her whole body went numb. She was tired. Tired of fighting Ryoko for his affection and now she was fighting him. Fighting herself. She was sick of fighting.

She didn't have anymore strength, no will… no heart.

She collapsed to the ground, and he caught her in his embrace.

"Ayeka," he murmured her name so beautifully.

She looked up at him tiredly, exhausted. Her skin was pale from fighting, and her eyes were red from crying, the tears still glistening at the corner of her eyes. She looked so vulnerable. He bent down gently, bolder than he usually was, and kissed her tears away. He heard her sigh as his lips met her skin.

"Lord _Tenchi_," she whispered his name longingly, desperately. She ran her pale, delicate fingers through his hair. Her eyes shimmered again with tears and something so much more. "I love you."

"Ayeka, I-"

"Shh," she shushed him. She pulled his face closer to hers, their lips barely brushing. Tenchi flushed, his face growing hot. Her lips met his and for once in her whole life, she felt content.

Tenchi felt himself responding and broke away quickly, fearing something might happen. "Ayeka," he said breathlessly, "this is wrong."

She looked at him with her satin-like lips and pleaded softly into his ear. "_Lord Tenchi_." His face turned bright red and he felt goosebumps go up his skin. "All my life people have told me what was right and wrong. Now I don't know anymore. And I simply don't care." She gazed at him fondly. "All I know is that I love you…" A tear fell from her eye. She looked far away. "And even though I will never have your heart… _I still_…"

"Lady Ayeka," he whispered.

"Tenchi," she said outright without the honorific 'Lord'. "Tonight, I am simply Ayeka." She tossed her crown away carelessly into the dirt floor.

He sat their speechless, admiring how strangely incredible she looked without her crown on.

"Please, Tenchi." She nibbled on his lip in a sultry way that was un-princess-like. Tenchi felt his whole body go rigid with heat. She continually begged. "Please, Tenchi." She unbuttoned his shirt with swift hands, trailing her fingers down his abdomen. "Love me," she kissed him with all her soul, causing them both to drown. "_Love me_," she said in shaky breaths, "like I love you… _just once_."

"Just once," he repeated to himself.

She smiled slightly and nodded. "_Just once_," she whispered and kissed him, her velvety hands running through his hair and across his chest.

Tenchi reddened when he realized what he was doing.

Just once.

Once was enough.

Their endless cries. Soft, gentle and clumsily beautiful caresses. Warm passionate kisses that ended up everywherehis lips on her skin. The cold night air. His rough, hard-worked fingers that trailed down her bare fleshbranded her and maimed her for life. The remnants of snow. Ecstasy and pure bliss that rolled in waves over her body and shook her to the core. The beads of sweat that dripped. The screams of pleasure. And the moon which smiled down on them like God.

As she lay in his arms, their bodies covered in dirt and perspiration, she looked up at him.

_If only, the dream could have lasted forever._

She pulled her bangs up and stared at the white overcast heavens. She smiled sadly at the memory, standing in place like she always had. Wanting time to stop like it had back then, at that moment. She smiled, remembering his own beaten smile.

It was the same night she left.

The house seemed so far away. Her eyes filled with the images of the red and bluish-purple flowers that faded into the color of red, red violets.

She remembered how many times she paused at the door or stared at the Masaki residence, over and over again.

The snowflakes and flower petals wafted over her.

The truth was… she was never really ready to say _goodbye_.

But then again, back then, she _had_ to.

* * *

Um, what do ya' think?

Hoping it was okay.

I'm in **love** with **Ayeka x Tenchi** pairings, but sadly, there aren't many out there. This isn't really one, but just another take on the whole so-called 'real' situation. This is centered on Ayeka-Tenchi and rather not on the others, specifically Sasami.

You guys understand, don't you? Love can make you do some pretty irrational things. Even leave behind the people who cared about you most.

Review! Flame! Constructive Criticism? Tell me watcha think.


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